Nepal Implements Strict Regulations on Mango Imports from China: What Are the New Limits?

Summary of the News: The government has introduced stringent new entry standards to control high-risk pests in fresh mangoes imported from China. According to the Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre, each consignment must carry a Chinese phytosanitary certificate along with additional declarations. Importers are required to maintain complete records and batch-tracing details to enable immediate recall if any issues arise in the market.

Kathmandu, 6th Saun — The government of Nepal has enforced tougher regulations on the import of fresh mangoes from China starting from 5th Saun (Tuesday), aiming to prevent the introduction of high-risk pests that have never been detected previously in Nepal. This decision was made by the Plant Quarantine and Pesticide Management Centre following a risk analysis.

Senior Crop Protection Officer Prakash Paudel explained that the new regulations identify over 27 high-risk pests associated with mango imports from China. Among these, 8 pests are officially listed in the Nepal government gazette as banned, while the others have been identified as new risks. Paudel emphasized that there will be zero tolerance for the eight prohibited pests, stating, “If even one of the eight restricted pests is detected, legal action will be taken without any compensation. The affected mango consignment will be immediately recalled and destroyed.”

For other pests that pose a risk but are not banned, the Centre will either order destruction or seek treatment options. The Centre pointed out that pest and disease profiles differ depending on the country of origin, which explains variations between mangoes arriving from India and China. Previously, mango imports from India were suspended due to non-compliance with regulations.

Effective Date of the New Regulations

The quarantine centre announced that every mango consignment from China must now be accompanied by a Chinese phytosanitary certificate explicitly declaring freedom from the high-risk pests specified by Nepal. However, importers who have already obtained permits prior to the new rule will still be governed by the old regulations. Since import permits are valid for three months, mangoes can be imported under previous rules for up to three months from the issuance date.

“Importers holding entry permits will have a three-month grace period, but all new certificates issued after yesterday must comply with the new standards,” Paudel clarified. Once the new rules are fully implemented, detection of any designated pests or diseases in a shipment will result in immediate suspension of the import permit until a risk reassessment is completed and approval granted.

Mandatory Batch Tracing for Importers

Importers have been assigned additional responsibilities under the new regulations. If any problem emerges in mangoes already sold in the market, they must promptly retrieve the products. They are required to maintain comprehensive records showing where and in what quantities the mangoes were sold, along with batch tracing and quality control information.

The 8 Officially Banned Pests

The banned pests listed in Nepal’s gazette related to mangoes from China include Fruit Tree Mealybug, Spiked Mealybug, Latania Scale, Pineapple Mealybug, Grey Pineapple Mealybug, Cladosporium tenuissimum (a fungal disease), Fruitlet Rot of Pineapple, and Striped Mealybug. Additionally, the government plans to officially list 19 other pests and diseases recently identified as new risks, such as Hemispherical Scale, Jack Beard’s Mealybug, Passionvine Mealybug, Pomegranate Scale, Mango Scale, Almond Canker, and Brown Spot of Mango, for future restriction.

The Centre clarified that the new regulations are designed to protect Nepal’s agriculture, biosecurity, and food systems from foreign threats. Experts warn that once banned pests establish themselves within the country, controlling them would require significant cost and could adversely affect fruit production and biodiversity.

Mango Import Volume

Due to high demand for mangoes in Nepal, mango imports amounting to millions of rupees occur annually. Recent data indicates a notable increase in total mango imports. Between Saun and Jestha (11 months) of fiscal year 2082/83, Nepal imported 8,881,296 kilograms of mangoes valued at NPR 60.08 crore (600.8 million). This is significantly higher compared to the 6,154,877 kilograms worth NPR 42.39 crore (423.9 million) imported during the same period in 2081/82. Over the entire fiscal year 2081/82, total mango imports were approximately 9,654,292 kilograms valued at NPR 64.27 crore.

China’s Share in Mango Imports on the Rise

The share of mango imports from China in Nepal is increasing. In the first 11 months of the fiscal year 2082/83, China’s share constituted around 28% of total mango imports, with approximately 1,652,617 kilograms imported at a cost of NPR 16.91 crore. During the same period in 2081/82, imports from China were 1,015,094 kilograms, valued at NPR 9.89 crore, indicating a year-on-year rise in both volume and value.

India’s Dominant Share

India remains Nepal’s largest mango supplier, accounting for approximately 72% of imports during the same 11-month period in 2082/83. Nepal imported around 7,160,349 kilograms worth NPR 43.16 crore from India, up from 5,139,783 kilograms valued at NPR 32.5 crore during the same period of the previous year.

Upcoming Chinese Mango Imports in Nepal Market

With the mango seasons in Nepal and India coming to an end, mangoes from China have started to make their way into Nepal, and wholesalers expect them to hit the market soon. Amar Bania, President of the Nepal Bulk Fruit Traders Association, confirmed, “Chinese mangoes have not yet arrived but are on the way. They are expected to arrive between Saun and Ashwin (mid-July to mid-October).”

He added that once arrived, Chinese mangoes will be available continuously in the market for one to one and a half months. The Chinese mangoes are imported in 14-kilogram packages and are estimated to wholesale for NPR 200 to 250 per kilogram. The main variety arriving is the ‘Keitt’ mango, widely cultivated in China’s Sichuan and Yunnan provinces. “Although multiple types of Chinese mangoes will arrive, one variety is expected to dominate,” said Bania. These mangoes are large in size, ranging from 0.5 to 1 kilogram each.